DANZ QUARTERLY - No 8 July, August, September 2007

Reviews

Bedrock by Sean Curham
27 January 2007, Unitec, Auckland
Reviewed by Dagmar Simon

Sean Curham's ‘Bedrock’ was a stirring, weird and wonderful performance installation that questioned established approaches to dance practice. It featured a kaleidoscope of dance pieces set amongst a surreal backdrop installed inside Unitec’s old gym. The audience moved freely through a space covered with hundreds of bunnies made from icing sugar, looking like an army of tin soldiers. Also featuring were a fortified pa, a peep show style boxed room and two people sitting at a table playing a war game.

To see Melanie Turner's performance inside the box you had to either peek through holes in the walls or stretch over the top of the construction. Still you would just capture part of the action. As you needed to contort yourself or fight for a peep hole it was a creepy voyeuristic experience. Suggestive ropes and blankets around the performer's neck added to the uneasy atmosphere.

Secondly, Liana Yew performed an eerie duet with a non-responsive feathered partner. She used very strong directional movement, always communicating but never receiving an answer.

Highlight of the night was Sean’s duet with Suzanne Cowan, a mesmerizing display of give and take, two bodies sharing, taking weight, moving the other and being moved, sometimes in unison, sometimes mimicking. Through brilliant use of words, firing each other up about “being good” they launched a stinging attack against   prevalent approaches to training, practice and notions of beauty in the dance profession. This was hilariously and convincingly presented by two amazing dance professionals.

Next hip hop dancers Samara Lingman and Tina Fotu performed to the awe-inspiring drumming of Chris O'Connor. They danced in their own world, at times living out aggressions by demolishing sugar bunnies.

Another swipe at established dance practices was delivered by Adrian Smith and Matt Gillanders. They performed an array of physical stunts, jumping, rolling, crawling on top and underneath each other like creatures who feel no pain. They also counted out music in a robotic way, racing mindlessly ahead of the music, losing the plot in their senseless high powered activism.

But wait, there was more to come: Sean in the courtyard getting progressively covered with dough while answering questions from the audience. What a shame he was covered up and therefore shut up so quickly, it would have been great to hear more of his probing thoughts. Inscribing the letter O and K with a hot branding stick onto his dough-covered body was the final act of a thought-provoking evening.

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